Lesson summary
Students will investigate insect habitats and the ethics of studying insects. They begin by developing their mapping skills, thinking about how maps can be used to convey information, in particular, with reference to insect habitats in their schoolyard. They will then consider the role of entomologists and the ethical requirements of catching versus cataloguing species, and will participate in a role-play activity to explore these ethics in more detail.
Learning intentions:
Students will...
- recognise how the features of a map are used to convey information
- understand the role of entomologists
- understand why ethics is an important component when considering studying animals
Success criteria:
Students can...
- create a map legend to convey information
- explain what an entomologist does
- stand on a continuum and reflect on why they are there
- describe the difference between the ethics of ‘catch and release’ and ‘cataloguing.’
Lesson guides and printables
Lesson details
Curriculum mapping
Australian Curriculum content descriptions:
Year 5 English:
- Understand that the pronunciation, spelling and meanings of words have histories and change over time (ACELA1500)
- Clarify understanding of content as it unfolds in formal and informal situations, connecting ideas to students’ own experiences and present and justify a point of view (ACELY1699)
- Plan, rehearse and deliver presentations for defined audiences and purposes incorporating accurate and sequenced content and multimodal elements (ACELY1700)
Year 5 Science:
- Living things have structural features and adaptations that help them to survive in their environment (ACSSU043)
- Identify, plan and apply the elements of scientific investigations to answer questions and solve problems using equipment and materials safely and identifying potential risks (ACSIS086)
- Communicate ideas, explanations and processes using scientific representations in a variety of ways, including multi-modal texts (ACSIS093)
Year 5 HASS:
- Locate and collect relevant information and data from primary sources and secondary sources (ACHASSI095)
- Organise and represent data in a range of formats including tables, graphs and large- and small-scale maps, using discipline-appropriate conventions (ACHASSI096)
Year 6 English:
- Participate in and contribute to discussions, clarifying and interrogating ideas, developing and supporting arguments, sharing and evaluating information, experiences and opinions (ACELY1709)
- Plan, rehearse and deliver presentations, selecting and sequencing appropriate content and multimodal elements for defined audiences and purposes, making appropriate choices for modality and emphasis (ACELY1710)
Year 6 Science:
- The growth and survival of living things are affected by physical conditions of their environment (ACSSU094)
- Identify, plan and apply the elements of scientific investigations to answer questions and solve problems using equipment and materials safely and identifying potential risks (ACSIS103)
- Communicate ideas, explanations and processes using scientific representations in a variety of ways, including multi-modal texts (ACSIS110)
Year 6 HASS:
- Locate and collect relevant information and data from primary sources and secondary sources (ACHASSI123)
- Organise and represent data in a range of formats including tables, graphs and large- and small-scale maps, using discipline-appropriate conventions (ACHASSI124)
Syllabus outcomes: EN3-4A, EN3-8D, EN3-1A, EN3-2A, ST3-10LW, ST3-4WS, ST3-11LW, GE3-4
General capabilities: Literacy, Ethical Understanding, Critical and Creative Thinking, Personal and Social Capability
Cross-curriculum priority:Â Sustainability OI.2
Relevant parts of Year 5 English achievement standards: Students contribute actively to class and group discussions, taking into account other perspectives. They understand how language features, images and vocabulary influence interpretations of characters, settings and events.
Relevant parts of Year 5 Science achievement standards: Students analyse how the form of living things enables them to function in their environments. Students predict the effect of changing variables when planning an investigation and communicate their ideas and findings using multimodal texts.
Relevant parts of Year 5 English achievement standards: Students contribute actively to class and group discussions, using a variety of strategies for effect
Relevant parts of Year 6 Science achievement standards: Students describe and predict the effect of environmental changes on individual living things. Students design investigations into simple cause-and-effect relationships, and construct multimodal texts to communicate ideas, methods and findings.
Relevant parts of Year 5 HASS achievement standards: Students represent data and the location of places and their characteristics in graphic forms, including large-scale and small-scale maps that use the cartographic conventions of border, scale, legend, title and north point.
Relevant parts of Year 6 HASS achievement standards: Students record and represent data and the location of places and their characteristics in different graphic forms, including large-scale and small-scale maps that use cartographic conventions of border, source, scale, legend, title and north point.
This lesson is part of the wider unit of work Backyard Bush Blitz – Years 5 & 6
Resources required
- Agree/Disagree Signs (or create your own)
- Device capable of presenting a website to the class
- Role-play Group Descriptions
- Student Worksheet – one copy per student
- Workbooks
Skills
This lesson is designed to build students’ competencies in the following skills:
- Communication
- Creativity
- Critical thinking
- Cultural understanding
- Empathy
Additional Info
Time required: 60 mins
Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium – facilitate class discussion
This is an original Cool+ lesson.
